Local News

CANNELTON - Eighth-grader Gary Biever "fiddled around with my brother's guitar when I was little," he said. His interest in playing the instrument has remained strong enough that he's stayed with a guitar club formed by Cannelton High School teacher Penny Hardman even as other students have come and gone.

"People have dropped out," he said of a club now in its second year of public performances. "I guess they just got tired of practicing."

PERRY COUNTY - Since its founding in 1993, the Perry County Community Foundation has helped bring more than $4 million into the community in support of fire and police departments, college scholarships and various youth programs. The money has served a wide cross-section of the county, reaching, in at least some way, nearly everyone who lives and works in the county.

Now, the foundation's leaders want to refocus their grant-making efforts in hopes of making an even bigger difference. And they're seeking the community's input.

CANNELTON - City officials and police investigators remained tight-lipped this week over Friday's search by state police of a Cannelton officer's home. Courthouse documents that normally would shed light on the grounds for the court-approved search are being treated as confidential and are off limits to the public and press.

TELL CITY - An initial agreement allowing a Spencer County businessman to move forward with a boat-works project at the former Maxon Marine site in Tell City could be presented to the city council as early as Monday.

Speaking at Monday's meeting of the Tell City Economic Development Commission, Mayor Gayle Strassell and Perry County Development Director Chris Kinnett said a memorandum of understanding could be presented to the council at the special meeting.

ROCKPORT - Spencer County officials have been successful in their attempt to prevent a reassessment of some property classes, changing the minds of some in the state office of the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance.

"We're very, very pleased," said Spencer County Assessor Sara Arnold after learning of the news.

The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance sent a letter to Arnold Nov. 14 explaining its decision not to issue a directive order for the county to reassess or re-trend any properties.

CANNELTON - Though both bids opened Nov. 29 were above the engineer's estimate, the construction of a restroom building at Eagle's Bluff Park will proceed, Perry County Recreation Director Dan Adams said Monday.

"Apparently if the bids were within 5 percent over INDOT's internal estimate, they have the option of awarding the contract if the Federal Highway Department can come up with the difference," said Adams. "And an INDOT official told me the federal government has agreed to contribute the difference."

TELL CITY - Soldiers leaving Tell City today for a one-year mobilization that will send them to Camp Atterbury, then Georgia and Iraq will have the best training and equipment available, according to a National Guard spokesman.

ORIOLE - A criminal investigation into possible animal neglect and cruelty is under way after four allegedly malnourished horses were found and later removed Wednesday from property along Owen Lane near Oriole.

A fifth horse had already died, a county sheriff's deputy said, and was buried.